How To Save a Life
by Dara Tavar
Summary: Casey ended her horrible relationship with Sam and Derek confessed to her that he loves her. Casey turned him down and his life has plumeted downward. Casey wants to talk but he doesn't. But will he want to talk when she says she loves him? A Dasey story.
1. Chapter 1 How To Save A Life

**I thought of this story after listening to "How To Save a Life" by The Fray.**

**I don't own Life With Derek or the song "How To Save a Life".**

**Enjoy! This will probably be a oneshot unless a lot of people request me to continue with it.**

**Dara Tavar**

* * *

**How to Save a Life**

_**Step one you say, "We need to talk"**_

I watched as Derek moved slowly toward me. I'm going to have this talk with him, no matter if he wants to or not. I don't want to go out with him right now because I just got out of a horrible relationship with Sam… all I want is some time to date a few guys before I go getting myself into another serious relationship. Especially this one… I mean, he's my step brother.

_**He walks, you say "Sit down, it's just a talk."**_

I can't believe he doesn't want to have this conversation this bad that he would actually leave his own room. All I want to do is talk to him… explain my reasoning's to him.

_**He smiles politely back at you**_

"Come on Case… Why do you want to talk to me? You turned me down, I get it… you want nothing to do with me."

_**You stare politely right on through**_

"Because I want to explain why I turned you down… It's not that I don't want to have anything to do with you Derek." I let out a soft sigh. "Can't you just give me a second to explain?"

_**Some sort of window to your right**_

He can see through me like a window. He knows my every move… and he knew this was coming. "Come on Derek… please?"

_**As he goes left and you stay right**_

He knows why… I think. He acts as though he's got no idea why we're having this conversation.

"Okay, I'll give you one second to explain."

"Thank you." I responded with a smile.

"Oh, well will you look at that… your one second is up. Sorry Case… the rest of my schedule is booked for today."

"Der-rek!" I whine.

_**Between the lines of fear and blame**_

I'm finding myself suddenly afraid of Derek; the angered look on his face tells me that I sound be.

He's been drinking lately, I caught him smoking yesterday, and he's had more sex in the past two weeks than he used to have in a month or two. I can't believe it… he blames me for all this?

_**You begin to wonder why you came**_

Why am I even trying to explain myself?

I think I love him… but I don't want to chance getting my heart broken again… I don't know what to do.

_**Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend**_

Where did I mess up? My best friend, Derek, is now angry at me and he doesn't want to speak with me.

How could things get worse than this?

_**Somewhere along in the bitterness**_

Derek scoffs bitterly. "It's not like you care anything at all about me… It's not like you love me the way that I love you or something!"

_**And I would have stayed up with you all night**_

I should have stayed with him the night he confessed all of his true feelings to me… not have run off and locked myself away all night.

_**Had I known how to save a life**_

If I would have known it would have saved his life if I had stayed with him, then I would have. I just didn't know then.

I was scared; I wish he could understand that.

_**Let him know that you know best**_

"Derek… I know what's best in this situation. Let me help you."

'_**Cause after all, you do know best**_

"Sure… you really do know what's best in this situation, ya know… because you've gone through it." He responded bitterly.

_**Try to slip past his defense**_

He won't put down his defenses… and he won't let me in.

How can I talk to him when he does this?

_**Without granting innocence**_

"Derek… please, let me help you out. Don't push me away." I give him a frightened, and yet sorrowful look.

_**Lay down a list of what if wrong**_

"Drinking will harm your digestive track. Smoking will kill your lungs. And with as much sex as you've been having you could catch something from one of your one-night-stand girls… have you even asked them about if they have any types of diseases?"

_**The things you've told him all along**_

"Casey, you've told me this millions of times… you don't need to tell me all of this all over again. Let me live my life how I want to…" he lowered his voice. "If you were in it, then it'd be much different anyways…"

Like that doesn't make me feel bad!

_**And pray to God he hears you**_

"Please Derek… listen to me!"

_**And pray to God he hears you**_

He doesn't even act as though my words have affected him in any way.

_**And where did I go wrong? I lost a friend**_

"Where did I go wrong?" I asked quietly.

Derek gives me a confused look. "What are you talking about Case?"

_**Somewhere along in the bitterness**_

"Somewhere in all your bitterness… I lost my best friend. Now you act as though you don't even want to talk to me."

Derek scoffed bitterly. "Yeah… like I'm your best friend!"

_**And I would I have stayed up with you all night**_

"You were my best friend!" I cry out, staring into his eyes. "But now I'm only afraid of you! If I wouldn't have been so upset the night you told me that you like me… then I wouldn't have left… I wouldn't have locked myself in my room!"

Derek merely rolled his eyes. "Sure…" he murmured.

_**Had I known how to save a life**_

"If I'd have known that doing all that would have prevented this… then I would have! Derek… I don't like what you've become…"

_**As he begins to raise his voice**_

"Oh, so now you care about me!" Derek began, moving closer to me. "Now that my life has no meaning any longer, you care!"

_**You lower yours and grant him one last choice**_

"I'm sorry…" I lower my voice. "Please Derek… stop what you're doing. I don't like it and it's really not like you…"

_**Drive until you lose the road**_

I'll keep this up until I lose it… until I snap.

I think that's already happened to Derek.

_**Or break with the ones you've follow**_

"Please Derek…" I pleaded.

_**He will do one of two things**_

"Well… I can do two things right now…" he began.

_**He will admit to everything**_

"I can tell you that you're right and that I'm wrong and that I desperately need your help so that I stop…"

_**Or he'll say he's just not the same**_

"Or I can tell you that I'm just not myself lately… which is the one I'm going to choose. I'm not myself anymore… if you haven't noticed… something inside me snapped when you turned me down."

_**And you'll begin to wonder why you came**_

Derek moved back into his room. I followed him there, not allowing him to close the door on me.

Why did I come again? He won't listen to me…

I do have one choice though… I can tell him of my true feelings for him.

_**Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend**_

But what happens then if he doesn't believe me?

Then I'll really lose my best friend… for good.

_**Somewhere along in the bitterness**_

He's too bitter at the moment… but if I don't talk to him now it'll only get worse. I have to tell him now.

_**And I would have stayed up with you all night**_

"Derek… I have to tell you the truth…"

He stared hard at me for a moment. "What are you talking about?"

_**If I'd known how to save a life**_

"If I had known that telling you this that night would have made a difference… then I would have…"

"Telling me what?" Derek asked slowly.

_**Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend**_

"I love you…" I confessed, looking into his eyes.

_**Somewhere along in the bitterness**_

Derek stiffened. "Sure you do…" he stated bitterly, the same way he'd been talking a lot tonight.

_**And I would have stayed up with you all night**_

"I mean it… I'm just scared…"

"Scared of what? Me?" he asked, his voice softening.

"I scared of getting my heart broken again…" I whispered in return.

_**If I'd known how to save a life**_

Derek slowly made his way closer to me. "I could never break your heart Case… I love you too much to do that."

_**Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend**_

I didn't realize I was crying until Derek reached up to wipe away a tear that was rolling down my cheek.

_**Somewhere along in the bitterness**_

"I'm sorry…" I whispered.

"No… I don't want you to say that… You should never be sorry about anything. I should be sorry for not thinking for that… I was just so happy when you and Sam broke up because I thought it was my chance to have you… show you how much I love you…"

_**And I would have stayed up with you all night**_

The tears came even faster and Derek reached up to wipe them away before pulling me into his strong arms. "I love you." He whispered in my ear. "And I promise that if we were together, the only tears you would cry would be tears of joy."

_**If I'd known how to save a life**_

"If I'd had known that all I had to tell you was that I loved you…" I trailed off as Derek hugged me.

"You don't have to explain to me…"

_**How to save a life**_

He pulled away to look into my eyes. "Thank you Case…"

"For what?" I asked, a bit confused.

_**How to save a life**_

"For saving my life…" he responded before leaning forward and giving me a passionate kiss.


	2. Chapter 2 Bubbly

**Okay, my friend wanted me to write a story using this song, so I decided to make it as chapter two for this story. So this chapter goes out to Lizzie! I hope she likes it, she'd better tell me!**

**It's about two years after chapter one. Enjoy!**

**I don't own 'Life With Derek' or _Bubbly_ by Coblie Caillat.**

**Ebjoy!**

**Dara Tavar**

**

* * *

****Bubbly**

**I've been awake for a while now**

I lie awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. I let out a soft sigh as I watch the ceiling fan spinning on the ceiling, my eyes following it.

**You make me feel like a child now**

I feel like a child who's keeping the biggest secret in the world, and he did that. He gave me this secret… and we're the only ones who know it. Other than Marti of course, but that's only because last year she walked in and caught us kissing.

**'Cause every time I see your bubbly face**

"I love you Case…" he whispered in my ear. "I love you, and only you." He pulled me closer to his body and laid his head down on top of mine, smiling down at me.

**I get the tinglies in a silly place**

I smiled back. "I love you too Derek… and only you." I turned to look at him, smiling lovingly. I felt butterflies in my stomach; it is strange that he still has this effect on me, even after two years now.

**It starts in my toes**

Derek leaned in and kissed me lightly. "When are we going to tell Nora and George?" he asked. "We are both over eighteen now…"

**Makes me crinkle my nose**

I crinkled my nose as I watched him, a smile quickly forming on my lips. "I don't care… we could tell them now if you really want to. They can't do anything because we're going away to college soon and we got in at the same college…"

**Wherever it goes**

I felt the feeling in my stomach moving. It was an unknown feeling, something I've never felt before.

**I always know**

He smiled compassionately. "Whenever you want to is fine with me… But… Nora and George aren't here right now. Neither is Marti, Lizzie, or Edwin… We're the only two in the house."

**That you make me smile**

I smiled at him before jumping to my feet and running out of his room. I peeked back into his room and flashed him a playful smile. "Well… then I think we should take advantage of our time alone… Don't you?"

**Please stay for a while now**

Derek returned the playful smile along with a raised eyebrow before jumping to his feet and coming after me.

**Just take your time**

I ran down the steps, Derek right behind me. When I ran around the couch he tackled me, knocking me onto the couch and landing on top of me.

**Wherever you go**

He merely stared at me for a moment. "You're in a playful mood today… don't you think?" he asked, grinning widely.**  
**I returned the grin. "Jut a little…" I stated before sliding out for under him without his realization at first. "Can't you do better than that?!"

**The rain is falling on my window pane**

He came after me once again and I ran to the back door, having no other place to go. I opened the door and ran out into the rain, Derek still right behind me.

I ran around him and back into the house, stopping in the kitchen to let the water drip off my body, Derek coming inside and standing beside me to do the same.

**But we are hiding in a safer place**

"You're safe… the rain can't hurt you…" he whispered in my ear before lifting me into the air.

I threw my arms around his neck as he made his way back to his bedroom, holding me in his arms. "I know what you're thinking…" I whispered before he leaned in to kiss me while walking up the steps.

**Under covers staying safe and warm**

"Good… because I know that you'll go along with my idea. You can't even tell me that you won't." He told me, walking into his bedroom and lying me on his bed.

"But we're soaked from running outside…" I whispered in return as he climbed beside me, pulling the covers up.

**You give me feelings that I adore**

He smiled lightly before leaning down to give me a passionate kiss. "So…"

**It starts in my toes**

There was that strange feeling quickly spreading up through my body.

**Make me crinkle my nose**

I crinkled my nose once again as he leaned down to kiss me once again, pulling the covers over our heads.

**Wherever it goes**

Hours later, I'm lying in his bed beside of him. Still no one has come home, but we have the door closed and locked anyways, just incase someone would come home.

**I always know**

"You'll always be the one I love…" he whispered, leading a trail of kisses along my neck.

**That you make me smile**

I smiled before turning over to face him. I slide my arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss.

**Please stay for a while now**

I heard the door open and I went to get up so I could get dressed.

"Don't go… Please… stay longer. I just want to hold you…" Derek pulled me back into bed beside of him.

**Just take your time**

"But what if they come up here?" I asked, laying my head on his chest and closing my eyes as he slipped his arms around my waist.

"I don't care… let them. I just want to hold you in my arms… I want to know that you're really here and I haven't been dreaming for the past two years and that this really has happened to me.

**Wherever you go**

I looked up at Derek, smiling lovingly. "This isn't a dream." I reassured him.

"I love you… only you… and I only love you, no one else, for the rest of my life." Derek whispered**  
**

**What am I going to say**

I watched him, tears coming to my eyes. "I love you, only you, forever." I whispered back… hoping that I'd said the right thing to him.

**When you make me feel this way**

He makes me feel… I don't know… different. I know that a lot of people would consider what we feel for each other wrong… But how could something that feels so right… be that wrong?

**I just mmmmm**

Someone knocked on the door, twisting the handle only to find it locked."Derek… I would like to speak with you downstairs please." George stated, knowing Derek was in here, but not knowing that I was to and not knowing what we'd been doing for the past three hours.**  
**

**And it starts in my toes**

"I want to tell them." Derek stated sincerely, causing that feeling to stir in the pit of my stomach again. My head said that they wouldn't like it and would be very upset, so we shouldn't tell them… But my heart says to tell them, because no matter what they think or what they say, my feelings for Derek cannot be changed.

**Makes me crinkle my nose**

I nod my head and we get up, getting dressed before going downstairs to tell what's going on between Derek and I.

My nose crinkled with anger what I saw a very beautiful blonde sitting in the living room, on the couch, smiling at Derek as we came down the steps.

**Wherever it goes**

"Derek… this is Rebecca. I realized that you haven't had a date in two years… so I thought I'd help. So… her mother and I set the two of you up on a date for today." He stated with a smile.

Derek looked Rebecca over for a moment before glancing at me, an unsure look on his face. "Case…" he whispered in my ear.

I shook my head. "Have fun on your date Derek." I responded with an angered smile before stalking up the steps.

"What's wrong with her?" I heard George asked as I moved around the corner, stopping to listen to what he would say.

**I always know**

"Um… I'll talk to you about that in a minute…" I heard Derek reply. "Hold on…" He came up the steps after me, seeing the tears running my face. "Case… I'm not going on a date with her. Like I said… I love you and only you… I'll always love you and only you. You don't have to worry because I would never do anything to hurt you.

I smiled lightly at him. "You're not going?" I asked in a small voice.

**That you make me smile**

"No… I'm staying here, with you. We're going to talk to Nora and George. And I'm not going to have anything to do with Rebecca because she's not the woman I'm I love with… you are."

**Please stay for a while now**

"Oh Derek!" I cried out as quietly as I could. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my head in his chest. "I'm sorry that I thought you would go… I'm sorry that I doubted your love.

"It's okay Case…" he responded when I started crying.

"Is everything alright?" George asked, walking up the steps to watch us.

**Just take your time**

"No… everything is not alright. Come on Case." Derek took my hand and pulled me down the stairs, George following behind us. "I'm sorry Rebecca for wasting your time… but I'm not going on a date with anyone other than my girlfriend… whom you are not."

Rebecca shrugged before standing up and walking closer to him. "To bad… I was looking forward to our date." She stated, reaching out to stroke his cheek.

**Wherever you go**

Anger flared in my eyes and Derek saw this. "It's going to be fine Case…" he whispered.

I looked up at him, smiling faintly as Rebecca let herself out. "I would like to speak to you… upstairs if you don't mind." I told him.

He nodded before following me to his room. "What is it Case?" he asked before I crashed my lips into his. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me back.

**I've been asleep for a while now**

I've been asleep for a while now, just lying in Derek's arms, when there was a knock on the door, pulling both Derek and I out of our pleasant dreams, but he still thought I was still sleeping.

**You tuck me in just like a child now**

He stood up quietly before tucking me in. He smiled at me before turning to the door, not knowing that I'd been woken up too.

I watched him for a moment before sitting up then standing and moving closer to him.

**'Cause every time you hold me in your arms**

Every time he holds me in his arms… I always end up falling asleep. Nothing had happened really, other than we laid down and Derek held me in his arms, but it was enough time locked in his room to get my mom and George a bit suspicious.

**I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth**

"Yes?" Derek asked, opening the door to come face to face with George.

"Um… Casey, I'm glad you're in here too. We need to speak with the two of you." George stated as Mom walked over to stand beside of him. "We got into a fight while you were up here and we've decided… it's just not working between us. We've decided to get a divorce. We've already told the other kids and they're downstairs now."

**And it starts in my soul**

I looked at Derek, as if our souls had just connected; it was like I could feel his emotions. I somehow knew that he was upset, and yet, a small part of him was glad, because this meant more of a chance for us to be together. "What… what happened?"

"We've grown apart." Mom replied. "It's just… I don't know. It's not the same as it was. We've made our decision. A divorce is what's coning. We've tried separating for a while… but it didn't work. We just got the divorce papers."

**And I lose all control**

At that moment I lost control. "So… while we grew closer, the two of you grew apart?!" I asked, not knowing what else to say.

"Casey…" Derek began.

I shook my head. "I don't know whose happiness I care more about. Mine and Derek's, or the two of you!" I cried out. "This is my entire fault!"

**When you kiss my nose**

Derek kissed my nose lightly before pulling me into a hug. "You can't blame yourself Casey… All you need to care about is making yourself happy. If they're happy with a divorce… than they're happy and the only person left to think about is you."

**The feeling shows**

By the look on Mom and George's faces… I could tell that they understood what was going on between us. They looked shocked.

"I think it's the right time Case…" Derek stated, pulling away from me and looking back at them, wrapping one arm around my waist and pulled me against him. "For the past two years… Casey and I have been dating… And I love her."

**'cause you make me smile baby**

I smiled at him. He's the bravest person that I know. I studied his facial expression, not seeing one ounce of fear.

**Just take your time now**

I turned back to them, their eyes wide with shock. "And I love him and only him, and I'll love him for the rest of my life." I replied.

**Holdin' me tight**

Derek pulled me into a hug before lifting me into the air and spinning us around in circles. He placed me on the ground before pulling me by the hand downstairs; a wide grin spread across him face.

**Wherever, wherever, wherever you go**

He pulled me outside before having me stand in a certain spot, the spot where he'd first kissed me two years ago. "Now… Stay right there." He told me as Mom, George, Lizzie, Edwin, and Marti rushed out to see what he was going to do.

He turned away from me before cupping his hands around his mouth. "I, Derek Venturi, Love her, Casey McDonald!" he yelled before turning back to me.

**Wherever, wherever, wherever you go**

I cupped my hands over my mouth also. "And I, Casey McDonald, love him, Derek Venturi!" I yelled as a few doors opened and people rushed to their windows to look at us.

**Wherever you go**

Derek rushed to where I was and pulled me into a passionate kiss, not caring who saw us. After a while he lifted me into the air once again and spun around in circles, still kissing me.

**I always know**

He sat me down before turning to the crowd that was now gathering around us. "Since you're all here…" he began, flashing the crowd a large grin. "I'll do this now instead of later."

He moved closer to me before reaching into his pocket. He glanced at Marti, who gave him an overexcited nod along with a large grin before he pulled out a small black box and dropping down on one knee.

**'Cause you make me smile**

I sent him the largest grin anyone had ever seen on my face as tears started to run down my cheeks.

"Casey…" he began. "I love you, only you, forever. And until my dying day I swear these feelings will never change. All I can ask you… is… Will you marry me?" he asked before opening the box to reveal a diamond ring. The most beautiful right I'd ever seen.

**Even just for a while**

"Just for a while…" I whispered. "Can we pretend that we're not step siblings?" I asked, raising my voice a bit.

"Casey… we're not going to be step sibs much longer… they're getting a divorce." Derek responded.

"Say yes!" a few people from the crowd yelled, Emily and Sam were the two loudest.

I smiled happily. "In that case… yes." I told him.

Derek smiled before slipping the ring on my finger, tossing the box into the crowd, then standing and pulling me into a deep kiss. "I love you…" he whispered.

"I love you too." I smiled at him before he kissed me once again. "It starts in my soul, then I loose all control… when you kiss my nose, the feeling shows… 'cause you make me smile baby, just take your time now… holdin me tight, wherever, wherever, wherever you go…" I sang quietly, so only he could hear me.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is a massive update for anyone reading my stories:**

**It was recently brought to my attention that someone had stolen one of my stories and, only making the smallest amount of changes possible, was passing it off on their own. I alerted the site to this plagiarism, but so far nothing has been done. The other author updated their story recently, telling me that the site has so far done nothing concerning this problem. If nothing is done about this within the next few weeks, I've come to the decision that I will delete my account on here and never again put anything on this website.**

**To anyone who still wishes to read what I write, I will happily accept a message with an email or even if you just want to give me your profile url and I'll be happy to continue writing elsewhere and send you the link where you can find my stories as long as no one steals my stuff to post it on here (if there are any particular kind of stories, a certain movie or book, tell me and I'll message you whenever I write something to do with it). If I find out something like that happens, I'll be done writing online for sure.**

**I hope this matter is resolved, because I love writing on here and getting reviews, I only wish I got more. ****I get author alerts or story alerts, but I would love more reviews. In reality, reviews only trickle in little by little and while it's nice to be put on someone's alert list, that doesn't tell me how I'm going or give me anything to think about doing for the next chapters. If you like my stories, please REVIEW and tell me how much you like them, things you want me to do, suggestions for a spin-off story(or stories)...anything will be fine.**

**Well, lets just hope this gets fixed.**

**Dara Tavar  
**


End file.
